Morning journal and courier., 1887-03-24
news DY lelegrdpn
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
INTERSTATE COMMISSION.
Opinions Regarding The
Appointees.
MAGNITUDE OF THEIR WORK.
Preparing To Commence
Operations Soon.
CLEARY AGAIN At LIBERTY.
A Bank Swindle OF I'M
mense Proportions.
THE NEW COMMISSIONERS

Opinions of Ra lroad Men Regarding
Them-The Appointments Generally
Satisfaetory-What fs Said I'm the Ma
tfSnal Capital.
BosToN, Murch 23-Charles Francis Ad-
ANS, president of the Union Pacific railroad,
said day: "Judge Cooley and Mr.. Morrison
are men of undoubted capacity and L con-
slider them excellent appointments. No
doubt the others are also good, as the Presi-
dent has used such care in selecting them"
President Phillips of the Fitchburg rail
road said: ''I know Judge Cooley slightly
and think he is good man. I do not know
the others"
President Mowry of the Boston and Lowell
said: Judge Cooley is the only one 1 know.
The difficulty was to find men big enough to
fill the place who would take it for the sal
airy. A commissioner will have more power
than any railroad president. The commits
sion may do the railroads good deal of
harm if the members are not always able to
grasp the situation. The railroad business is
something that takes time to learn, and no
matter how able man may be he must learn
the business before he can act wisely
and iudiciously. If Charles P Clark
would have accepted position on the COM
mission it would have been an excellent
thing for he is practical railroad man. The
commissioners must sit in Washington and
have sub-commiss ioners report cases to them
for their decision, Otherwise they will get
stalled at once and perhaps they will as it
is" John w. Forbes, of the Chicago Bur-
lington and Quincy railroad said: Mr.. Nor
rison and Judge Cooley are men of good
reputation. I do not know the others"
Horace Stevens, of the Chicago and East
ern Illinois railroad said he had heard of Mr..
Walker as a successful railroad lawyer in
Vermont where he stands we'll.
General Manager Kendrick of the Old
Colony said that he was not acquainted with
any of the members of the new commission.
President Bliss of the Boston and Albany
road, said Judge Cooley is an able man.
knew Mr.. Morrison only by reputation. do
not know the others but they may be able
men.
Colonel Jonas H. French said: 81 do not
know the men, but think the appointments
are good. The President of course found it
difficult, almost impossible, to get the men
the place demanded at the salary prescribed
| by law. Judge Cooley is remarkably well
adopted to the position. My general i'm
preston of the commission ls a favorable
one."
McNrPELIER, Vt, March 23.-The appoint
ment of Hon. Aldace =. Walker a member
of the Interstate commission meets with
general approval. 1t has been known for
some time that he was candidate aG the
time the name of Colonel J. Fl. George, of
New Hampshire, was talked Of Hiram At
kins, chairman of the Democratic State com
mittee of Vermont, wrote to the Vermont
railroad commissioners asking that If con-
sistent with their views they should indorse
Colonel George. Ex-Governor Pingree, chair
man of the board wrote a most hattering
eulogy of Colonel George as man, citizen
and a railroad lawyer, whom he would
be happy to indorse but for the fact that his
candidate, unless Democrat was to be APP
pointed, was Colonel Aldace T. Walker, of
| Rutland He said the board would indorse
Colonel George if New England Democrat
ley and Hiram Atkins had a consultation
and consulted with leading Democrats all
over the State, and as result decided that
if New England is to have member of the
commission and Colonel George could not be
appointed that Colonel Walker was the most
acceptable Republican. Colonel Smalley
said that it would, of course, be an advan-
tage to Vermont to have a member OF the
commission and he supported Colonel Wal
ker, which means, in fact, that the choice
| from the Republican party of the Vermont
Democrats was Co onel Walker.
| WASHINGTON, March 23.-The personnel
of the Interstate commission was the topic
of conversation here to-day, and as general
thing the composition of the commission
seems to give satisfaction. The high charac-
| ter competence and special fitness of the
| Eve gentlemen for the work before them is
generally admitted, and is considered ample
| compensation for the long delay in appoint
| in them, and the President is freely credited
with having brought one of the most difficult
/ tasks he has yet encountered to a very graft
| flying and successful conclusion. The Critic
1 this evening in this connection while COM
| nenting editoria1ly on the composition of
the commission doubtless reflects the opinion
| of fair-minded men of all parties.
| The President has done wisely as matter
/ of self-defsnse in selecting commissioners on
| the basis of merit and thus relieving himself
| of responsibility in greater degree than he
tcould have done by appointments based up
on political or personal considerations.
The organization of the commission is the
next thing. The commissions of the mem
bers were signed by the President to day and
were ready to be sent to them, and 1t is ex-
| pected they will meet in Washington in a
few days and organize and get ready for the
delicate and efficient duties before them and
| which will begin on April 5, the date on
which the interstate commerce law
goes into effect. Four of the commits
sioners are at their homes and
will require some time to close up
their present business affairs. Colonel Nor
| rison, who is in Washington, desires to re-
| turn to his home and settle up some personal
| matters. The delay on the part of the com
missioners in getting together and organizing
| is not serious as the delay which it II
| feared will grow out of the selection of quar-
| tiers and clerks and the performance of a vast
| amount of correspondence before the com
mission can take intelligent action on any OF
| the problems. The gravest and most funda
| mental questions have arisen under the new
law and upon these it is of the utmost i'm
portance that the commission should defnt
| proceeding with ISIS work. Two member
| of the commission have probably as ye
give little attention to these questions
The questions referred to are Of the most
radical character. In the first place it il
disputed whether the law applies to ship
ments made from one point to another with
! | in State or only to those from one t.
another State. The construction of tn
clause s:under like circumstan ces and condi
lions" the clause in reference to long AM
short hauls and other phrases used in tn
| act and provisions made by 1t are 80 various
| ly construed by constitutional lawyers tina
, | one construction would reduce the eneets Q
the law to the most unimportant characte
| while another would lead to complete re
| ysrsal of commercial conditions and trans
} | portation methods and Affect every brane
of trade and every interest throughout tn
United States.
While it is generally believed that tn
| commission is so constituted as to secur
conservative rulings on these questions,
| ia conceded that many points of importanc
| are in doubt. The bill appropriates 500
600 for all the expenses of the commissio
for the first year of its existence, while othe
expenses incidental to it are to be met out c
the other appropriations for the interior de
partment and the courts. The salaries c
i've commissioners at 81, 500 each aud of tn
secretary at So, 500 and other stipulated 81
j penses leaves about $4,000 to b
expended for assistance, clerical sci
" vices, ETC. This represents large clerics
: and official force to be appointe
and a large ank important bureau will VI
doubtedly be rapidly organized: Inform.
ton have been received that tho 'sands
communications, queries, complaints, etc
are ready to pour in upon the commissio
whenever it is ready to receive them. A gel
tleman well qualified to speak recently tol
the President that house full of such doc,
| ,nents WAS ready for mailing as soon as II